Agenda, decisions and minutes

CouncilWednesday, 21st February, 2018 4.00 pm

With effect from 1 April 2016 Agenda and Minutes will be available
in both Welsh and English. Reports are working documents and
produced in English only in accordance with Welsh Language Standard
41 of this Council’s Final Compliance Notice from the Welsh
Language Commissioner.

The
Mayor thanked those Members who had attended the recent Portuguese Co-operation
Protocol signing ceremony.He advised
that Wrexham had been honoured to host the Secretary of State for Portuguese
and looked forward to developing a close working relationship with the
Portuguese Consul in Manchester and the wider Portuguese community in Wrexham.

The
Mayor advised Council that Trevor Coxon, Head of Customer and Corporate
Services, would once again be raising money for Prostate Cancer UK, by cycling
the opening stage of the Tour de France on 23 June for the second time. He
reminded Members that those wishing to donate to his fundraising efforts
shouldcontact Mr Coxon directly.

Finally,
the Mayor reminded Members that the Annual St David’s Day Parade would be
taking place in the Town Centre on Thursday 1 March at 1.00 p.m. This was the
10th year of the parade in Wrexham, which was always well supported
by schools and the local community. He encouraged Members to join the parade if
they are available.

46.

Declarations of personal interests, if any

Members
are reminded of their responsibility, under Paragraph 11 of the Members’ Code
of Conduct, to declare the existence and nature of any personal interest in
respect of any of the business to be transacted at this meeting

Members were reminded of
their responsibility, under Paragraph 11 of the Members’ Code of Conduct, to
declare any interests in relation to any of the business to be transacted at
this meeting.The following declarations
were made:

Agenda Item 7 – Revenue
Budget and Council Tax Settings 2018 - 2020

Councillors Brian Cameron,
Adrienne Jeorrett, Joan Lowe and John C Phillips – Personal and Prejudicial –
School Governors.The Councillors
remained in the meeting and claimed an exemption under Paragraph 12(2) of the
Members’ Code of Conduct, taking part in the discussion and voting thereon.

Councillors Sonia
Benbow-Jones, Krista Childs, Michael Dixon, Paul Pemberton and Robert Walsh –
Personal – Friends of Country Parks.The
Councillors remained in the meeting taking part in the discussion and voting
thereon.

Councillor Gwenfair Jones –
Personal – Relative of Police and Crime Commissioner.The Councillor remained in the meeting taking
part in the discussion and voting thereon.

(i)That Councillor Andrew Atkinson be appointed onto the Executive Board in
place of Councillor Paul Rogers.

(ii)That the Leader of the Conservative Group notify the Head of Corporate
and Customer Services of nominations to fill the seatsidentified in Paragraph 4.3 of report HCCS/16/18 , within 7 days of the date of this meeting.

(iii)To note the changes in Membership of the Planning Committee
and Constitution Working Group, which giveeffect
tothewishesoftherelevant PoliticalGroups to which the seatsareallocated,
as follows:

Councillor Paul Roberts to replace Councillor Hugh Jones and Paul Rogers to remain on the Working Group

Councillor
Sonia Benbow-Jones to replace Councillor Joan Lowe

REASON
FOR DECISION

To appoint a Member to the ExecutiveBoard
in accordance with Article 7 of the Council’s Constitution.

Minutes:

The Lead Member for Organisation
– Finance, Performance, Health and Safety and Governance submitted a report
(HCCS/16/18) allowing Council to appoint a Member to the Executive Board and
note changes in Group representation on Committees, Scrutiny Committees and
Panels set up by the Council as part of its Constitution.

RESOLVED:

(i)That Councillor Andrew Atkinson be appointed onto the Executive Board in
place of Councillor Paul Rogers.

(ii)That the Leader of the Conservative Group notify the Head of Corporate
and Customer Services of nominations to fill the seatsidentified in Paragraph 4.3 of report HCCS/16/18 , within 7 days of the date of this meeting.

(iii)To note the changes in Membership of the Planning Committee
and Constitution Working Group, which giveeffect
tothewishesoftherelevant PoliticalGroups to which the seatsareallocated,
as follows:

b) that the Authority’s council tax for
2018/19 for Band D is set at £1,090.80 in respect of its general expenses and
in respect of the special expenses for footway lighting a charge of £4.93 on
the town centre community areas of Acton, Caia Park,
Offa and Rhosddu, £16.44 on the community of
Llangollen Rural, £12.46 on the community of Glyntraian
and £10.60 on the community of Chirk.

c) that the Medium Term Financial
Strategy including the Council’s Reserve Strategy outlined in Appendix 4 to
report HF/19/18 be approved.

d) that the Treasury Management Strategy
Statement and Investment Strategy outlined in Appendix 5 to report HF/19/18 be
approved.

(a)53280 being the amount calculated by the
Council, in accordance with regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation
of Council Tax Base)(Wales) Regulations 1995, as its Council Tax Base for the
year 2018/2019.

(b)Part of the Council's area being amounts
calculated by the Council, in accordance with regulation 6 of the Regulations,
as the amounts of its Council Tax Base for the year for dwellings in those
parts of its area to which one or more special items relate.

being the aggregate of
the amounts which the Council estimates for the items set out in section
32(3)(a) to (c) of the Act.

(c)

235,225,283

being the amount by which
the aggregate at 3(a) above exceeds the aggregate at 3(b) above, calculated
by the Council , in accordance with Section 32(4) of the Act, as its budget
requirement for the year.

(d)

174,472,740

being the aggregate of
the sums which the Council estimates will be payable for the year into its
Council fund in respect of redistributed non-domestic rates, revenue support
grant or additional grant as adjusted under section 33(3B).

Members
declarations of interests in relation to this item are set out in Minute 46
above).

The
Lead Member for Organisation – Finance, Performance, Health and Safety and Governance
submitted a report (HF/19/18) enabling Members to agree the 2018/19 revenue
budget in accordance with the recommendations of the Executive Board and to set
the council tax for the financial year beginning 1 April 2018.

In
introducing the report the Lead Member for Organisation – Finance, Performance,
Health and Safety and Governance referred in particular to the rigorous
consultation process undertaken with both Members of the Council and members of
the public to date as part of the Difficult Decisions exercise.The feedback received as a result of that
consultation process had helped to form the proposals within the report
HF/19/18.

A
number of Members, in recognising the need to make efficiency savings as well
as cuts, spoke in support of the proposed budget which they recognised to be
sustainable, safe and balanced.

The
Leader of the Labour Group proposed an amendment and referred to an alternative
set of proposals which had been circulated in writing to Members in advance of
the meeting. The amendment was duly seconded as follows:

c)That the Medium Term Financial Strategy be amended to take account
ofthe use of general balances in
2018/19, including the Council’s Reserve Strategy outlined in Appendix 4 and be
approved.

d)That the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Investment Strategy
be amended to take account of the use of general balances in 2018/19, in
Appendix 5 and be approved.

3.2That the replacement council tax resolution
for 2019/19 be approved.”

In
introducing the amendment the Leader of the Labour Group advised that the
alternative budget sought to manage the overspend within Children’s Services
through the reserve balance.

In
supporting the proposed amendment, a number of Members referred to the
additional funding provided for both schools and the music service.

During
the ensuing debate the following points were noted, in particular:

·The Head of Finance confirmed that drawing from reserves in order to
balance a budgetintroduced a new level
of risk and that national advice to Councils recommended strongly against this
strategy.

·The Head of Adult Social Care and Interim Director of Social Services
confirmed that the level of demand for children’s services was likely to remain
high in 2018/19.She further advised
that the Regional Commissioning Board recognised provision of children’s
services as a national priority for 2018/19.

·The Council Tax level in Wrexham remained one of the lowest levels in
England and Wales.

In accordance with Standing
Order 18(2), a recorded vote was called for and supported by the requisite number
of members rising to show their desire, then taken on the amendment, the voting
being as follows:

(i)That the Pay and Reward
Panel’s recommendation that no action should be taken in respect of the current
salary ranges of the Council’s Chief Executive, Executive Directors and Heads
of Departments for the 2018/2019 financial year be endorsed.Therefore the grading structure will remain
as set out in Appendix 1 to the report HCCS/10/18.

(ii)It be noted that, in the
next review year 2019, the panel will conduct a full review for pay for
2019/2020.

REASONS FOR DECISION

(i)To apply the decisions of the Pay and
Reward Panel, within the context of the Employee Pay and Reward Policy to
ensure an appropriate pay structure exists for Senior Manager pay.

(ii)To comply with the remit of the Pay and Reward Panel to
undertake a review of Senior Management pay in accordance with the terms of
reference.

(iii)To ensure the terms of reference comply
with changing legislation.

Minutes:

The
Chair of the Pay and Reward Panel submitted a report (HCCS/10/18) seeking Council
approval to the Pay and Reward Panel’s recommendations in relation to the
review of Senior Manager’s pay for 2018/2019.

RESOLVED:

(i)That the Pay and Reward
Panel’s recommendation that no action should be taken in respect of the current
salary ranges of the Council’s Chief Executive, Executive Directors and Heads
of Departments for the 2018/2019 financial year be endorsed.Therefore the grading structure will remain
as set out in Appendix 1 to the report HCCS/10/18.

(ii)It be noted that, in the
next review year 2019, the panel will conduct a full review for pay for
2019/2020.

REASONS FOR DECISION

(i)To apply the decisions of the Pay and
Reward Panel, within the context of the Employee Pay and Reward Policy to
ensure an appropriate pay structure exists for Senior Manager pay.

(ii)To comply with the remit of the Pay and Reward Panel to
undertake a review of Senior Management pay in accordance with the terms of
reference.

(iii)To ensure the terms of reference comply
with changing legislation.

RESOLVED – That the Pay
Policy Statement for publication in April 2018 as attached at Appendix 1 to the
report HCSS/11/18 be approved.

REASON FOR DECISION

(i)To meet the requirements of Chapter 8 of the Localism Act 2011, by ensuring
that the Pay Policy Statement is reviewed and published annually.

Minutes:

The
Lead Member for Organisation – Planning and Corporate Services submitted a
report (HCCS/11/18) seeking Council approval of the revised Pay Policy Statement
that sets out the Council’s approach to pay.Council was required to approve the Pay Policy Statement annually in
order to meet the legal requirements of the Localism Act 2011.

RESOLVED – That the Pay
Policy Statement for publication in April 2018 as attached at Appendix 1 to the
report HCSS/11/18 be approved.

REASON FOR DECISION

(i)To meet the requirements of Chapter 8 of the Localism Act 2011, by
ensuring that the Pay Policy Statement is reviewed and published annually.

(i)That, in accordance with legislation,
the Council appoint two Parent Governor representatives (one from primary and
one from the secondary sector) to the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee, with
an entitlement to speak and vote on education issues only, until end February
2020.

·Primary school representative -no nominations received. The local authority
must seek nominations within one year of the vacancy arising.

·Secondary school representative – Mrs Alison Fisher.

(ii)In accordance with the recommendation of
the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny, Mr Brent Evans be re-appointed as a co-opted
member of the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee with an entitlement to speak
but not vote on education issues, until end February 2019.

REASON FOR DECISION

(i)To meet the statutoryrequirement to have representation of Parent
Governorson the Lifelong Learning
Scrutiny Committee.

Minutes:

The Lead Member for
Organisation – Finance, Performance, Health and

Safety and Governance
submitted a report (HF/10/18) enabling Members to

consider the appointment of
Co-opted Members to the Lifelong Learning

Scrutiny Committee.

Members recognised the valid
contribution made by the Co-opted

Members to the work of the
Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED:

(i)That, in accordance with legislation, the Council appoint
two Parent Governor representatives (one from primary and one from the
secondary sector) to the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee, with an
entitlement to speak and vote on education issues only, until end February
2020.

·Primary school representative -no nominations received. The local authority
must seek nominations within one year of the vacancy arising.

·Secondary school representative – Mrs Alison Fisher.

(ii)In accordance with the recommendation of
the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny, Mr Brent Evans be re-appointed as a co-opted
member of the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee with an entitlement to speak
but not vote on education issues, until end February 2019.

REASON FOR DECISION

(i)To meet the statutoryrequirement to have representation of Parent Governorson the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee.